Night of the Crimson Blood
by JadeDragonKnight
Summary: A peaceful night at the castle turns into a living nightmare.  When a bloodthirsty demon storms the place, everyone does what they can to survive.  T for gore.
1. Chapter 1

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 1

It was midnight. Silence was encased on the land. The people and animals of the kingdom slept peacefully. Few clouds floated in the black sky. The full moon shone brightly in the night. The moonlight dimmed the empty throne room. All was quiet. In the dim light, a button on the throne arm suddenly pressed down on its own. The floor parted and a machine rose up from the gap. Electricity shot out from the downloader, flashing in the darkness. Then as suddenly as it started, the static stopped flowing. The machine went back into its hiding place and silence once again overtook the room. Quietly, one of the double doors was nudged open. The creature disappeared into the dark halls of the castle.

Somewhere else in the castle, steady breathing broke the stillness. The navy blue knight slept calmly. He absently shifted, revealing his uncovered face. It was an innocent look similar to the pink star warrior. In his slumber, something was making its way in under the door. It squeezed through and slowly approached the unsuspecting knight. The sheets began to move. It stopped at his head, reared up, and made a terrible hiss. Then, it struck.

A blood curdling scream rang through the halls of the castle. The cry woke up the knights in the neighboring room.

"What's going on?" Sword asked over the screaming.

The sound of furniture falling came through the wall. The cries turned into the noise of choking.

"It sounds like it's coming from Meta Knight's room," Blade informed.

They quickly jumped out of bed and raced through the hall. When they reached the door, all became quiet in the room. The two knights looked at each other then drew their swords.

Blade walked up to the door and asked, "My lord, are you ok?"

There was silence.

"Meta Knight?"

Then, the sound of someone collapsing sent a chill up their spines.

"We're coming in," Sword stated as he grabbed the door knob.

The door was unlocked, but he couldn't push it open. He got up against it and put his bodyweight on the barrier.

"Help me," he said to the other knight.

Blade nodded and pushed against the door. With their combined effort, the door finally opened. They went into the room. It was pitch black. Sword went to the light switch and flipped it on. The light in the ceiling flickered. The flashes revealed the destruction of the furniture. They were all seemingly knocked over. Some of the pieces blocked the doorway, keeping the knights from entering earlier.

"What happened here?" Blade asked as they slowly walked around the room.

It was too quiet. The knights looked at the shambles. Then Blade froze.

"Sword."

Sword came over and gasped slightly. They continued to stare at Meta Knight, who lay motionless on the floor. He was covered in scratches and was lying face down. He seemed to be breathing.

"It looks like he got attacked," Blade muttered.

"Whatever it was, it can still be in here. Keep your eyes peeled," Sword informed.

He walked away and shifted some of the furniture in search of the attacker. Blade went to help as well. Suddenly, something grabbed his foot. He wheeled around and froze in fear. Sword turned when he heard Blade scream. He became shocked when he saw him lying on the ground, with something crouching on top of him. He was crying short breathes of pain. Sword gawked at the creature. It slowly looked up at him, revealing its blood red eyes. The light flickered for a moment and the creature vanished. Sword jumped slightly at losing sight of it. He held his sword out as he approached the downed knight.

"Blade, y-you ok?" he stammered as he looked down at him.

Blade was shaking. Gasps of agony escaped his lips. Sword stared wide eyed at the two bleeding holes on the knight's neck.

"B-Blade?"

Suddenly, a noise came from behind. Sword whirled around only to see a screeching monster flying at him.


	2. Chapter 2

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 2

Screams awoke the other residents of the castle. Fumu was the first out of her room and into the living room. Following her were her parents, Bun, and Kirby who was spending the night. They were all still in their pajamas.

"What was that awful screaming?" Fumu's mom asked.

"Maybe we should check it out," Bun said to his sister.

She hesitated at first then nodded.

"If you two are going out there," Parm said, "then take Kirby with you."

Kirby didn't question him and neither did Fumu or Bun. They quickly took a flashlight and went out into the hallway. It was very dark. Bun flipped on the flashlight and they proceeded down the corridor. It was eerily quiet. They saw an open door with a flashing light coming from it. They went to the room and peered inside. Bun shined the flashlight inside the room so they could see the shambles piled up on the floor. Then, they saw Sword and Blade lying on the ground.

"Sword, Blade!" they shouted as they dashed in.

They kneeled down by their sides. Kirby stood near them. He fearfully looked at the holes on their necks and the pools of blood on the floor.

"Come on, say something. What happened?" Bun asked as he nudged Blade.

The knight continued to tremble. He responded with a broken moan. Sword wasn't much better.

"We have to get them back home," Fumu stated.

Bun nodded as he carefully took Blade up. He stood under his arm, supporting the wounded warrior. Fumu did the same. Kirby took up the flashlight and lead them back to their apartment.

* * *

><p>Parm and Memu sat on the sofa, waiting for their children to return. Then, the door opened wide.<p>

"Mom, dad, call the doctor," Fumu said as she entered the room, carrying Sword.

They were already over there by the time Bun and Kirby came in. Parm nodded, went to the phone and dialed the village doctor's number. They took the knights to the sofa and laid them out gently.

"What happened?" their mother asked, worried.

"We're not sure," Bun replied, "We found them like this."

"Fumu, go get some cloths and a bucket of warm water," she said.

Fumu nodded and went off to get the items.

* * *

><p>Yabui, the village doctor, continued to check the knights' vital signs. The bandages that were placed over their necks were red with blood. Their breathing was labored. Yabui stepped back and shook his head.<p>

"Are they going to be ok?" Fumu asked.

"Yes, but they seem to have lost a lot of blood," he replied. "Tell me, did you happen to see what bit them?"

"No," Bun stated, "they were the only ones in the room."

"Where specifically did you find them?"

"In Sir Meta Knight's room," Fumu replied.

Yabui placed his hand on his chin.

"Was Meta Knight in there with them?"

Bun and Fumu looked at each other.

"No."

"Then my guess is that he went to look for this monster," the doctor concluded. He turned to them and added, "Blade and Sword need to be kept warm since they lack the blood to sustain their normal body temperature. Do you have any extra blankets they could use?"

"Sure," Fumu said as she went to get the sheets.

When she left Bun came over to Yabui.

"You mentioned about something biting them," he questioned, "what do you think it was?"

The doctor paused then replied, "It may have been a vampire."

"A vampire," Fumu asked as she came back with the blankets, "Isn't that a myth?"

"It is," Yabui said, "but that seems to be the only explanation right now, although…"

He looked at the trembling knights.

"They show symptoms of paralysis. From what I remember, vampires don't paralyze their victims, nor drink only a little of their blood."

"Vampires, monsters, I don't know if I can handle this," their mother shivered from across the room.

Parm came over and comforted her. Kirby shuttered as well. Something just wasn't right. He had a feeling that Sword and Blade won't be the only victims.

* * *

><p>Somewhere else in the castle, Waddle Dee stood in the hall close to panicking. Captain Doo stood in front of the crowd.<p>

"Everyone calm down," he spoke in a different language, "I'm sure the screaming you all heard was nothing. You should all just go back to sleep and we'll get an explanation in the morning."

The countless Waddle Dee continued to look at each other and shift nervously. The captain called over some of the calmer servants to help him ease the tension of the crowd. They eventually calmed down enough to go back to their rooms for the night. The bulk of the group disappeared into the darkness. A few stragglers walked through the corridor in search of their dorms.

Then, the sound of clanking metal rang through the hall. The Waddle Dee froze and turned to the sound. The noise slowly came closer. Then, the moonlight from a nearby window exposed the source of the sound. The man continued to walk closer, his head hanging down. He swayed slightly from his step. The servants trembled at the sight of his zombie like movements. Suddenly, he stopped walking. They waited for some kind of response. Then, he began to run towards them. As he neared, he threw up his head and screeched, revealing blood red eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 3

A door in the hallway opened. King Dedede stepped out and yawned. He sleepily looked down the hall to see a glowing orange light approaching him. As it came closer, the figure of Escargon came into view.

"What the heck is going on out here?" the king asked his attendant.

"How should I know?" Escargon yawned, "All I heard was screaming but I figured someone had a bad dream or something."

"That doesn't sound like anything important," Dedede replied. "Wait a minute. If this isn't anything serious then why did you come all the way over here?"

Escargon stiffened.

"Um, I just wanted to see if the screaming was really you," he assured.

"Yeah right," the king sneered, "you were probably the one with the bad dream."

"Not true!"

"I bet you almost wet yourself!"

Their argument could have gone all night. However they were cut off by a large group of Waddle Dee running past them. Fear was written on their faces. Once they disappeared down the hall, Dedede and Escargon looked questionably at each other. Then they peered down the other side of the corridor. A strange noise, almost like a whisper, came from the darkness. Their hair seemed to stand up on end.

"Uh, you go check it out," King Dedede said.

"What? Why me?"

"One, you're the only one with a light, two, because I said so."

Escargon muttered something under his breath.

"Yes sire," the attendant replied.

The snail began to make his way down the hallway. The darkness made the hall look like an endless tunnel. He struggled to keep his candle steady. He swallowed hard as sweat began to form on his head.

"Escargon!"

The attendant yelped and whirled around.

"Don't soil yourself," Dedede taunted.

"That was not funny!" Escargon argued, "At least I'm down here and you're not."

Dedede snickered and went to say another comment. His blood ran cold when he saw two red eyes open right behind Escargon.

"Oh, now you're speechless. Who's the coward now?" the attendant mocked.

"E-e-scar-g-gon," Dedede stammered, pointing his shaking finger at the crimson eyes.

He looked questionably at the king. He went to turn around. Suddenly, the eyes darted at the attendant. The light went out and a screech followed by a scream of pain echoed down the hall. Dedede froze when everything became pitch black. He's eyes adjusted and he took out his hammer.

"Escargon," he called as he hurried down the hall.

He stopped when he heard the labored breathing. He felt something wet on his feet and the smell of blood filled his nostrils. He swallowed hard. Then, he heard a low hiss. He whirled around toward the sound. The king shook with fear. Growls continued to escape the darkness. Suddenly, the crimson eyes reappeared and lunged at Dedede. He closed his eyes, screamed, and swung his hammer. He felt something hit the mallet. The creature crashed into the wall. The king opened his eyes just in time to see the monster get up, screech, and dash down the hall. The darkness prevented the king from seeing the beast in detail.

He stood there for a few moments, clutching his hammer like it was his life line. Soon the silence convinced him that the creature was gone. He put his hammer away and turned to where he thought Escargon was. He crouched down and felt around in the blood soaked floor. He found his attendant and carefully picked him up. He could feel the snail trembling. Without thinking, the king took off down the dark hallway. He could just barely see where he was going. The only thing he thought about was getting help. Then, he saw a light shining from under a distant door. He ran up to it and threw it open. He paused when everyone in the room looked at him. He was too petrified to ask for help, but he didn't need to. Most of them ran up to him and took Escargon from his arms. That's when Dedede finally saw the extent of the attendant's injuries. There were two holes in his neck and blood still draining from them. Escargon was covered in blood and so was the king from carrying him. They immediately set him on a mat and tended to his wounds. The king just stared.

"Your majesty," he heard one of them say, "Are you hurt?"

He looked to the man and finally began to recognize the faces. Yabui was the one who spoke to him. His head finally cleared.

"No," the king replied.

"You sure?" Bun asked, "You look pretty pale."

"I said no," the king irritably replied.

"Yeah, he's fine," Fumu added.

King Dedede walked up to a chair and sat down, trying to stop his shaking. He noticed Captain Doo and some Waddle Dee were also there, some of them on mats.

"As I was saying," Yabui said after he attended to Escargon's injury, "did you see the monster that did this?"

"No," the captain replied, "we went back to check if everyone went back to their rooms and we saw them lying in the middle of the hall."

"Then I believe it's clear to everyone that we must keep this beast contained. If we don't, it could attack the villagers."

Just then, Parm's wife ran back inside from the balcony.

"The drawbridge is down," she called.

"We must have forgotten to close it after Yabui came to the castle," the captain informed.

"We have to keep the monster in the castle at all costs," the doctor stated, "Someone must go out there and close the drawbridge."

"We'll do it," the captain said.

The two Waddle Dees at his side nodded. The small group left the apartment and ventured back into the dark halls of the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 4

Captain Doo and his men finally made it to the front courtyard. The moonlight shone bright and showed the path to the open drawbridge before them. The captain nodded to the two Waddle Dees. They ran up to the winch and pulled back the lever. The bridge slowly rose up to the wall and sealed shut.

"Good work," the captain said in a different language.

He turned and headed back inside. He heard the servants following him. Then, the footsteps stopped. He turned back around. They had disappeared. Worry struck him.

"Uh, let's get back to the apartment so we can tell them the drawbridge is up, ok?"

No one answered him. He began to walk slowly around the courtyard. It seemed deserted, yet he had the feeling someone was still there. He noticed a torch light in the distance. He remembered one of the Waddle Dee was carrying a torch so he made his way over. He thought he heard something from around the corner. He paused then slowly crept up to the wall. The captain hesitantly looked around the corner. All the color drained from his face. One of the Waddle Dee lay paralyzed on the ground and the other was in the jaws of the monster. He trembled as he looked at the fangs dripping with blood. The beast seemed to groan as it drained the blood from its victim. Then, its back bulged. Two giant bat wings ripped through the skin as claws torn through the gloves. It dropped the helpless Waddle Dee and roared at the night sky, revealing its new razor sharp teeth and crimson eyes. The captain was paralyzed with fear. His feet absently started moving, running from the courtyard and into the castle. The image of the beast was burned into his mind.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, the door flew open. Everyone in the room watched as the captain ran inside and slammed the door behind him. He was breathing heavily.<p>

"What happened?" Parm asked.

"I saw it!"

"The monster," Fumu asked.

"I-it was big, and it had teeth and claws and huge wings, and, and…"

"And what?"

"It kind of looked like," he muttered.

"Tell us," Yabui stated.

"It looked like Meta Knight."

There was a silence in the room.

"That can't be true," Bun informed, "Sir Meta Knight is looking for the monster, isn't he?"

"We haven't seen him all night, Bun," Fumu said, but she was unsure as well.

"Are you sure it was Meta Knight?" Yabui asked.

Captain Doo simply nodded. He was still trying to calm down. The doctor placed his hand on his chin. Just then, they all heard a moan coming from the living room. A hand come up and gripped the edge of the couch. Then they saw Sword struggling to hoist himself up.

"Sword," Bun and Fumu called as they ran to help him.

He groaned and fell back on the sofa. When they got into the living room, they noticed Blade moving as well. Yabui came over and took a quick look at them.

"Don't push yourselves," he informed.

"The captain is…," Sword tried to say.

"Try not to talk," Fumu stated.

"Right," Blade finished.

"What?"

"Meta Knight is the monster," Blade gasped.

There was a pause.

"I see now," the doctor muttered, "this sounds like the work of a demon."

"Didn't they just say Meta Knight is the monster?"

"I'm aware of that. I'm saying that he may be possessed by a demon."

"You mean someone may have ordered the demon from the Holy Nightmare Company?"

Everyone paused for a moment and looked at King Dedede.

He looked up at them and informed, "What are you looking at me for? Why would I order something like that?! The sight of blood makes me sick. The last thing I want is a blood sucking beast running around!"

"Then how did the demon get here?" Fumu asked.

"That doesn't matter right now," the doctor said, "we need to find a way to get rid of it."

"I think I remember his majesty having a demon book in the throne room," the captain stated after he got himself together.

"That could help," Bun added.

"Someone has to get it," Yabui suggested.

"Why not you?"

"I still have to tend to the injured."

"Dedede knows where it is. I think he should go get it," Fumu said.

"No way! I'm not risking my life for a book," the king objected.

A discussion arose from the group. Kirby sat on the couch farthest from them. He felt helpless. He didn't know what to do. All the people he knew were being picked off one by one and he had no idea how to help them. He looked up from the floor to scan the crowd. He grew wide eyed as worry surged through him.

"Piyo!"

Everyone turned to Kirby as he jumped off the couch and ran around the room. He seemed like he was looking for someone.

"Kirby, what's wrong?" Memu asked.

Fumu looked questionably at the pink star warrior. She looked around for a second then her heart almost stopped.

"Where's Bun?"


	5. Chapter 5

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 5

Bun continued to run through the black corridors. He tried to keep his flashlight steady so he could see. He slowed to a stop in front of the large throne room doors. He eased one of them open. He scanned the room with the flashlight before entering. Suddenly, the light flickered and went out.

"Oh man, not now," he muttered, smacking the flashlight a few times.

When it didn't come back on, Bun looked around and waited for his eyes to adjust. The moonlight flowing in from the open balcony helped quicken the process. He slowly walked in, carefully watching for any other movement. He got to the throne and peeked around it. There was a book leaning against the foot of the chair.

"That's gotta be it," Bun said as he leaned down to get it.

He went to get up then froze. He thought he heard breathing. His heart pounded. He slowly stood up straight and hesitantly looked behind him. He shook with fear as he looked up a dark, towering figure. He gazed at the crimson eyes, blazing with rage. The monster's wings propped the rest of the body high off the ground. Sharp claws hung at its sides. Blood dripped from the many razor sharp teeth. Despite the horrifying form, Bun could still see Meta Knight under the demon's spell. He swallowed hard and continued to shake.

"Uh, S-Sir M-Meta Knight, it's me, Bun, r-remember?"

The monster made a low growl and looked down at the book for a moment. Bun noticed a slight change it the knight's gaze, as if the darkness unclouded for a split second. The look on the beast's face became threatening. It threw up its claws and screeched. Bun screamed in fear and held the book up in defense. A few seconds passed. He opened his eyes and hesitantly looked over the book. The demon had disappeared. Bun glanced around him then quickly made his way out of the throne room.

* * *

><p>There was an uneasy tension in the room. Everyone was worried about Bun. Then, the door opened and quickly shut. Bun panted from running all the way back.<p>

"Bun!" Fumu called as she ran to him.

She stopped in front of him and looked him up and down.

"Are you hurt? Did the monster get you?"

"I'm fine sis," Bun reassured.

She sighed and hugged him.

"Don't ever do that again," she said in his ear.

Fumu backed away as the doctor came over.

"That was very reckless of you," Yabui said, "but I see it wasn't for nothing."

Bun held up the demon catalog that Yabui was looking at. The doctor took it from him and quickly began to flip through the pages.

"He was really scary looking," Bun muttered.

"Who, the demon?" Fumu asked.

"I don't think he was just a demon," Bun replied, "There was something in its eyes. I think Meta Knight is still in there, somewhere."

"Here it is," the doctor stated.

Fumu, Bun, Kirby, and the captain gathered around.

"Dani, the vampire demon," Yabui read from the book, "It cannot survive without a host. However, when it finds one, it becomes fused with him/her. The host will then do its binding, which is take the blood from others. The more blood the host gathers, the stronger Dani will get. Warning, this demon is weakened by sunlight. If it does not have a host when it is daylight then it will quickly disintegrate. If the demon becomes out of control, follow this recipe to make the cure."

"Why would the Holy Nightmare Company tell you how to get rid of the demon?" Bun asked.

"It's still a business. If they don't give a warning then they could get sued for not informing the customer," Fumu explained.

"I didn't think a company that dangerous would even worry about something like that," Bun replied, "but I guess it's convenient."

Just then, Memu came up and took a look at the book.

"This looks easy enough," she informed, "Leave the cure to me!"

She then took the catalog and ran into the kitchen. The doctor went with her to help out. Kirby walked up to Fumu and Bun and looked up at him with a worried look on his face.

"Oh, it's ok Kirby, I'm fine," Bun reassured.

The star warrior nodded, but then looked sadly at the ground. He thought about how much everyone was helping each other, and he couldn't do anything. He friends are risking their lives to stop this monster who is also someone close to him. He felt useless. Bun and Fumu looked at him then doubtfully at each other.

Just then, Memu and Yabui came into the room again.

"That didn't take too long," their mother said, holding out a dark green ball.

"That's it?" Bun asked.

"That's all the recipe called for," she replied, "but I doubt it tastes very good given the ingredients."

"How does it work?" Fumu asked.

"Well," Yabui stated, looking at the book again, "It says here that the host must eat the antidote in order for it to work. It doesn't explain what might happen once Meta Knight takes it."

"I doubt that demon will let him take it," Bun added.

"Good point," the doctor replied, "It will probably put up a fight. Still, it must be done."

He walked up to the balcony window. The black sky was beginning to turn light blue.

"I suggest we cure Meta Knight when the sun rises so we can be rid of this demon," Yabui stated.

"I'll do it then," Captain Doo said.

"No, I think you've been through enough tonight," Parm suggested.

"Me and Bun could do it," Fumu informed.

"Heavens no! I wouldn't know what to do if you two got hurt," their mother objected.

"We'll go," Sword said from the couch as he and Blade struggled to get up.

"You two can't get up yet, it's too dangerous," Yabui argued.

"Don't even think about sending me!" King Dedede blurted out when Fumu glared at him.

The discussion continued to seemingly no end. Kirby looked through the crowd. It seemed that no one could go and time was running out. Then, he toughed up and went to Memu. He took the green ball from her.

She looked at Kirby then asked, "Kirby, are you sure?"

Everyone stopped talking and looked at him. He firmly nodded. He went to the door and put his hand on the knob.

"Kirby."

He turned around.

"Be careful," Fumu said.

Kirby gave her a smile then entered the dark hallway.


	6. Chapter 6

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 6

The star warrior could barely see. The darkness seemed to close in on him as he continued to slowly walk through the halls. Occasionally, a chilling moan echoed through the black. Kirby held onto the small green sphere tightly. Then, he saw a dim glowing light in the distance. He went up to and noticed it was a dropped torch. Waning orange embers still emitted from it. Suddenly, a hiss escaped the darkness. It was clearer than the other growls. Kirby trembled then looked to the torch. He sucked it up and emitted a white light. An emerald gem appeared on his head and a gold metal band formed around his head, making a crown. A flame shot out from the crown and Kirby's skin turned a darker red. With his transformation complete, he was able to see around him. Then, he froze. Standing in front of him was the beast, towering above him. It growled at him. Kirby was practically terrified. The monster slowly held up its claws and its wings started to walk it forward. Kirby backed away as it approached, not taking his eyes off the crimson glare. Suddenly it roared, sending Kirby backwards onto the ground. It lunged at him. He screamed and held his hand out. He heard the sickening sound of breaking skin. He yelled in pain as he looked at the monster again. It grabbed him and it was biting into his arm. Suddenly, its red eyes shot wide open. It jumped back and screeched. Kirby grabbed his throbbing arm. It didn't bleed as much as the other victim's wounds, but he could feel it going numb. Then he realized that that arm was holding the cure when the beast attacked.

He looked up at the monster when he heard it choking. It was clutching its neck and coughing. It turned away from the star warrior and hunched over. Then, blood came pouring out from its mouth. It splattered and puddled on the stone floor. Kirby was horrified from the sight. The demon growled and glared at him, the fire in its eyes raging. He quickly stood up and ran in the other direction. The monster roared, spread its large wings, and flew towards him. Kirby ran as fast as he could. He tried not to turn around and look at the frightening eyes. The demon was flying swiftly towards him and quickly catching up. Suddenly, Kirby darted down another hall. The monster didn't react fast enough and crashed into the wall. Rubble flew out from the impact. The beast roared and flew at the fleeing warrior. Just then, the beast coughed out more blood in midflight. It slowed for a second then regained its altitude. Kirby turned for a split second and saw the monster flying very close to him with outstretched claws. In a panic, he breathed a mighty flame from his mouth. The demon screeched and pulled back. He changed back from the use of his fire ability. Kirby then rounded another corner. The beast crashed into the wall. It slowly propped itself up. When I stood on its feet, it spewed more blood. When it tried to take to the air again, its wings began to retract.

Kirby panted and slowed to a stop. His arm was now numb, but the numbness continued to coarse through the rest of his body. He knew that this must be the paralysis. He clutched his arm and looked forward. He had run all the way to the outer wall corridor. A dim light from the open door way filled him with hope. He looked down the other end and saw the creature making its way towards him. He gathered his strength and proceeded toward the opening. When he stepped outside he noticed the sky was now pink and orange near the horizon. He struggled to keep walking. He could barely feel his feet and arms now. He stopped and turned back to the open corridor. It was too dark inside to see anything. Just then, the monster appeared from the darkness. Kirby could see it panting. It was supporting itself along the wall as it walked closer. He noticed that the large wings were gone as were the razor sharp teeth and the claws. All that was left of the monster form was the red eyes. Kirby recognized Meta Knight behind the fearful face. As it came closer, it left the wall and began staggering. Kirby quickly went up to it and caught it right before it fell. He couldn't see its face, but he could hear it breathing heavily. Then, one of its arms reached up and grabbed Kirby's shoulder. It lifted itself up enough to free its head from his arm then began coughing. Instead of blood erupting from its mouth, a dark red, slimy object flew out and fell onto the ground. Kirby watched as it began to move. He saw a tiny mouth open and a hiss escape its mouth. It had many rows of sharp teeth. It looked like a large leech.

Just then, the sun broke through the horizon. When the light touched the slug, it screeched in pain. It began to steam as it desperately crawled toward the shadow the wall cast. Suddenly, a golden sword flew through the air and pierced the creature. It cried out then went limp. It slowly began to melt away. Kirby was puzzled. Where did the weapon come from? He looked to the knight he held in his arms. Meta Knight's sheath was empty. He was still panting.

"Thank you…Kirby," escaped his lips.

Then, the blood soaked warrior went limp. Kirby could still hear a steady breathing coming from him. Just then, Kirby lost all feeling and started trembling. He could tell he was losing balance, but he couldn't command his muscles to catch himself. He fell back on the wall and lay there.


	7. Chapter 7

Night of the Crimson Blood

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 7

"Come on, this way."

The sound of people approaching escaped the outer wall corridor. Fumu was the first to enter into the open. Bun and Yabui followed her. They were following the pools of blood. Then, Fumu gasped.

"Kirby!" she called.

She and Bun ran up to the trembling pink star warrior. Kirby looked up at them and gave a weak smile. Seeing that their friend was ok, Bun and Fumu looked to Meta Knight, who was passed out in his arms. Yabui gave them a quick glance then looked at the sword protruding from the ground. There was a faded dark red spot underneath the point. He nodded and went to Kirby's side.

"You're very brave Kirby," the doctor stated.

He smiled and closed his eyes. Yabui carefully took Meta Knight from his arms and turned him over. He was covered in blood, but he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. The doctor lifted up one eyelid. The innocent white eye stared absently back at him.

"So, is he ok?" Bun asked.

"Yes," he replied, "he'll be fine. Kirby should be alright as well. They just need to rest."

"That's good," Fumu sighed.

The bright sky chased away the darkness. What was a long, horrifying night became a new day.

* * *

><p>Back inside the apartment, the wounded were beginning to move. Escargon moaned, sat up, and placed his hand on his head.<p>

"What happened?" he groaned.

"What? You don't remember me carrying you here?"

The attendant turned to King Dedede.

"You carried me all the way here?" Escargon asked disbelievingly.

"Well, yeah. You got attacked, or did you forget that too?" the king added.

"And you stayed here," he said questionably.

"Yes."

The attendant got a bit teary eyed and said, "You do care about me."

"What," the king objected, "No! I wasn't going to go back to my room with a monster running around!"

"Sure, keep telling yourself that."

Suddenly, Dedede jumped up and grabbed Escargon's eye stock.

"I didn't stick around to see if you were ok! I was only here to-"

He stopped himself when he noticed that Escargon had passed out from lack of blood to his brain.

"Uh, Escargon?"

Meanwhile, the wounded Waddle Dees were beginning to stir. Sword and Blade were up and walking around. Most of the people gathered around the sofa. Kirby and Meta Knight were sleeping on it with blankets covering them. Meta Knight was the first to wake. His eyes fluttered open and they focused on the people standing around him.

"You're finally awake," Fumu stated.

"What happened?" he moaned.

"You were possessed by a blood sucking demon," Yabui explained.

The knight thought for a second then asked, "What did I do?"

The group looked at each other. They wondered if they should tell him.

"Well," Sword stated, "you turned into a monster and started biting people."

"Way to be blunt, Sword," Bun muttered.

"Huh," Meta Knight replied, "that explains the awful taste in my mouth."

"What, we taste bad to you?" Blade joked.

Everyone began laughing, even the stern knight chuckled.

Then, he stopped and stated, "I'm not wearing my mask, am I?"

"Nope," Bun replied.

"Would it make you feel better if I told you that that same face struck fear in anyone's face that looked upon it while you were a monster?" Yabui asked.

"…Maybe."

They stopped when they heard Kirby shifting. He just went back to his peaceful slumber.

"Funny," Meta Knight stated, "I can only remember being in his arms."

"He did save you after all," Yabui replied.

Meta Knight simply nodded. They continued to talk for a while, but then began to get tired. It was then that they realized that they were up all night. Later, they decided to take a nap. The rest of the day lazily moved on.

THE END


End file.
